Both Elizabeth Hurley and Victoria Beckham wear Chopard’s Happy Spirit necklace, which was designed to recreate the ripples that a pebble causes when it is skimmed across water (from pounds 3,440; 020 7409 3140 links of london sale). The pebble at the centre of the circular motifs is represented by a diamond.
Solange Azagury Partridge has designed a spinning diamond ring, which evokes blazing Catherine wheels on bonfire night ( Links of London Charms). Rather more grandly, Cassandra Goad’s swirling pendants, which are hung from coloured cords, were inspired by the circular stucco decorations on the ceiling of the Forum Baths in Pompeii (from pounds 1,922; 020 7730 2202).
This month, silver specialists Links of London have introduced their first diamond collection, Coquette. They have used an unusual mixture of shapes for their swirl earrings (from pounds 650, available at Sloane Street, Links of London Necklaces).
Diamond-set pieces are usually highly priced, but there are plenty of affordable alternatives. Calvin Klein’s first jewellery collection, which is made from stainless steel – rather than precious metals – and sparsely set Wesselton diamonds, is stunningly simple and features several lines. The Yo-Yo range comes with eight metres of black silk cord, which can be twisted around a set of seven different-sized yo-yo discs; Precious is composed of a chain that is dotted with small steel circles and diamonds, and Liquid is made up of sets of raindrop bubbles Links of London Bracelets, scattered with diamonds and spinning circular rings (from pounds 45, available in September nationwide; 02380 646843).
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How would you feel if that diamond sparkling away merrily on your finger had directly funded the mutilation or murder of civilians in Sierra Leone links of london? According to Amnesty International, Global Witness and other NGOs, there is a close link between diamonds and the arms trade in conflict zones. Wars and human rights abuse undertaken by governments or rebel groups in Africa are sometimes financed, via incredibly intricate business deals, by the sale of what are called “conflict diamonds”.
The issue was first identified after the war in Sierra Leone Links of London Rings. Allesandra Masci, campaign co-ordinator for economic relations and human rights at Amnesty International, says, “We want to make sure that businesses do not benefit from war crimes and that diamonds are not used to buy arms and weapons.” To that end Links of London Necklaces, in January 2003, the diamond industry volunteered to self-regulate, and The Kimberly Process was initiated. In effect, it gives every new diamond a birth certificate, and hopes, through a chain of warranties, to ensure that only certified diamonds enter the global trade.
This is an ugly side to a glamorous industry. Stephen Lussier, the worldwide marketing director of the Diamond Trading Company (the marketing arm of the De Beers group -which sells 60 per cent of all diamonds) says Links of London Bracelets, “The Kimberly Process is a great start and we will continue to work with NGOs. It is impossible to stop all illegal activity, but we can ensure that a consumer can go into a legitimate retailer and be sure to get a diamond through legitimate channels.” However, he continues, “At De Beers, we are not aware of any conflict anywhere in the world where diamonds are being used to fund rebel activities at present.”
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